[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 66 (Tuesday, May 6, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S5766]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          NATIONAL TEACHER DAY

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, in 1953, Congress first proclaimed May 6 
as National Teacher Day. Our Nation has changed in many ways over the 
past 50 years; however some things have remained the same. Teachers 
have always been mentors and role models to students and have made 
lasting contributions to so many students' lives.
  Today teachers face greater demands and more diverse student bodies. 
Too often, they also face inadequate pay and unacceptable teaching 
environments. In a time of fiscal uncertainty, when budgets are 
shrinking and teachers have to rely on fewer resources, they still do 
the best they can to help their students succeed.
  Little relief is in sight. Communities across the country will need 
to hire an additional two million teachers over the next 10 years to 
deal with rising student enrollments and teacher retirements. Congress 
must do more to help communities recruit promising teacher candidates. 
We can provide new teachers with trained mentors who will help them not 
only to survive but to thrive in the classroom. We can do more to see 
that all teachers and principals have the on-going training they need 
in order to keep up with modern technology and modern research.
  In addition, we must find better ways to increase their pay and 
improve their working environments. It is imperative that we treat all 
teachers with the respect that they deserve. Teachers have one of the 
most important jobs of all, and we must support them every step of the 
way.
  On this special day, we thank the 3 million public school teachers 
across the country who work so hard each and every day to do their job. 
They truly are our community heroes and our national heroes. They have 
one of the most difficult jobs of all educating the young men and woman 
who are our Nation's future.

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